MTL - Old Chapters - v17 Chapter 44 The light of civilization?

Qi Condensation. Foundation Establishment. Core Formation. In the current world, only these three realms are known to be achievable. Nascent Soul is but a legend and the realms above it lost to the the long river of time. The modern era is known as Cultivation Civilization, a balance of power and civility, excess and moderation. While cultivation remains a secret practice, it has long since exposed itself to the mundane world, quietly intertwined with each facet of society. While the world appears to be at peace, what lies underneath is a conflict between human, cultivator, and demon, brewing for ages and waiting to implode. Yet in the wake of humanity’s rapid industrialization, qi—and consequently cultivation—is dying.

Shen Hua, the daughter of the Shen family that ran an embroidery business in Fengzhou, was pampered since she was a child. She had a pretty face and smooth, fair skin. Unfortunately, her body was weak, and she'd run out of breath after walking merely a few steps. She didn't have very long to live.The Shen family gradually faced its downfall, and her wedding was delayed again and again.Cui Yun, the eldest son of the Cui family, was a noble and stern man. He was entrusted to look after Shen Hua. Why not just marry her? He thought.Since Shen Hua reincarnated, she had focused all her attention on the embroidery business. She hoped to change her life and regain her former glory.When she heard about Cui Yun's decision to marry her, she fainted on the spot.After waking up, she turned him down with tears in her eyes. “I don't have very long to live. I don't want to waste your time.”Cui Yun was very considerate. “It's not a big deal. I know you feel touched, but there's no need to cry. Since you already depend on the Cui family, you might as well just become part of us. After you die from your sickness, I'll even hold a grand funeral for you.”Shen Hua felt hopeless. But I'm only pretending to be sick!***Cui Yun had many younger female cousins.Many of them had confessed their feelings for him, but he turned all of them down nonchalantly.“It's getting late. Please look after yourself.”Shen Hua had never met such a clueless man when it came to romance.One night, while she was on her way home, she took a shortcut and passed by the Cui family's courtyard. Cui Yun stopped her.He was standing near the entrance, and his sleeves danced to the wind.“It's cold outside. Would you like to come in and stay for a while?”

She was the genius daughter of an Ancient Martial Family, shining brightly, and known as one of the fearsome “Dark Twins”. Due to her sister's betrayal, she and her partner both perished.She was Ajiu of Qifeng City, the so-called waste that everyone laughed at. Although she was a daughter of a cultivating family, she had no Phantom Power Source and couldn't cultivate Phantom Power. She was banished to a remote small town and eventually beaten to death by her cousin in a dilapidated courtyard.When the genius daughter, who gained the treasure of cultivation in the Endless Void, transmigrated into the body of the waste daughter, the gears of fate began to turn again. The waste would set foot on the path of cultivation! Contracting Divine Beasts, practicing Alchemy, refining artifacts, carrying on the legacy of ancient Divine Artifacts, seeking her kin, exterminating evil spirits, let's see how she stirs the heavens and earth!He was the most noble man between heaven and earth, of supreme status, with a bewitching appearance. Due to a game started out of boredom, he encountered her, and from then on, through heaven and earth, he would never leave her side!Snippet One:Dugu Qianye sat in the way she used to practice in her previous life, beginning to examine her current body. The blocked meridians, the weak energy channels, this body was truly terrible. As she continued downward, she arrived at the Dantian, “Eh? What is this?”What should have been an empty Dantian was floating with a... uh, an egg?“Why is it an egg? Could my body have turned into a hen? Does it have to be this fantastical!”“I am not an egg, you're the egg! Your whole family are eggs!” Just as Dugu Qianye was conflicted between the egg and the hen, a childish voice arose in her mind.“Eh? The egg can talk?” Dugu Qianye was astonished.“Damn it, I've already told you, I am not an egg!” the egg fumed.Snippet Two:Watching Dan Jingtian eating and exhaling from being burned at the same time, Dugu Qianye suddenly felt like teasing him. After thinking, she said, “I am a child from the mud pill family on Dot Street in Wuyou Town, next to Zixu City.”Dan Jingtian rubbed the back of his head and said, “Zixu City, Wuyou Town, why haven't I heard of any of them? Also, what’s a mud pill?”“Stupid!” Mo Ziqing tapped Dan Jingtian's head, “Remove the city and town and read it again.”“Zixu, Wuyou, Dot, Mud Pill, ugh, it's all nonsense to trick you! No way, brother, are you playing me?”Snippet Three:“Hey, that woman punched a hole in the sky.” Ci Hun appeared in front of Zi Xiao and said wickedly.“Oh?” Zi Xiao looked up at him indifferently and said, “Just a hole in the sky. Go, find someone to fix that hole.”“That woman also ripped a hole in that man’s pants, right on the butt.” Ci Hun continued.“What?” The man, who had been casual just a moment ago, jumped to his feet, his bewitching face filled with rage, “A hole in the butt? Dare to show his butt in front of my woman, come, let's go chop his butt off!”Ci Hun was speechless, saying, “That was done by the woman.”“Still, chop it off! Can't even protect his own butt, might as well chop it off.”Snippet Four:Dugu Qianye looked at the person tied up like a rice dumpling in front of her, stroked her chin, and said, “I've decided, I'm going to rob. Hand over everything valuable you have on you!”“I don't have any money” Mang Qianjun said indignantly, looking at Dugu Qianye.“What? No money? Then what's the point of keeping you around! Xiaohuo, light a fire,” Dugu Qianye said somberly.“Wait, wait, I haven't finished yet,” Mang Qianjun shouted, “I don't have money, but I have the entire Endless Hell. You can rob it!”

“Block him.”“He's technically still my boss.”“Then block him with dignity.”The call ended again.And then started again.I let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob, then finally answered with the enthusiasm of a snail crawling through salt.“Yes, Mr. Walton?”“Have you changed your mind yet?”I collapsed onto the towel and gazed at the sky as though it might consume me entirely if I pleaded sweetly enough.“Do you ever take a break?” I asked, shielding my eyes with one hand.“You're avoiding the question.”“Because it's a dumb question.”He exhaled, the sound sharp and irritated even over phone. “It's not a dumb question. It's a business offer.”“It's a weird offer-one that I already said no to.”There was a brief pause, and I could practically hear him clenching his jaw through the speaker.“You are acting unreasonably.”“ Unreasonable?” I sat up. “I'm not the one drafting fake girlfriend contracts like it's a normal Tuesday.”“Isabella-”“Certainly not, Mr. Walton.” I mimicked his tone perfectly. “I told you I'm not doing it. You need to find someone else to play pretend with.”SYNOPSISIsabella Miller thought saying no to her boss’s fake dating offer was the end of the story.But Adrien Walton doesn’t take no—especially not when he’s convinced she’s a gold digger.Suddenly, her student loans are piling up, her father’s vet clinic is on the brink of eviction and her brother is about to be kicked out of college. Coincidence? She thinks not.Adrien Walton is calm, calculating—and he's just pulled every string to corner Isabella into the perfect position.Now she’s stuck choosing between pride and survival.So she agrees to his offer: be his fake girlfriend.No feelings attached. No drama. Just business.Or so she thought.“Conference Room B. Fifteen minutes,” he said, passing by without a glance.The folder he pushed across the table landed with a thud.I opened it. The contract. All of it.---Enemies to lovers? Check.Slow burn? Hmmnyea.Banter so sharp it might file your nails? Yes.Delicious workplace tension? Of course.Tension that could melt steel?Absolutely.Smut?? Wanna find out?Welcome to corporate romance warfare. There’s no escaping this contract.